


The Unluckiest Day

by Historywriter2007



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Everlark Birthday Drabbles, F/M, Friday the 13th - Freeform, mentions scary movies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 18:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9338534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Historywriter2007/pseuds/Historywriter2007
Summary: Peeta hated Friday the 13th, nothing good ever happened on that day.  It’s not that he was superstitious. He just stayed away from black cats, didn’t walk under ladders and tossed an obscene amount of salt over his shoulder while working at his family’s bakery. Instead, he liked to think of himself as cautious. However, Friday the 13th always seemed to bring him the worst luck.Written for Everlark Birthday Drabbles: Happiest of birthdays to you @jroseley!





	

Peeta didn’t want to go out tonight, he would rather spend this day hiding away in his room. He hated Friday the 13th, nothing good ever happened on that day. It’s not that he was superstitious— he just stayed away from black cats, didn’t walk under ladders and tossed an obscene amount of salt over his shoulder while working at his family's bakery— instead he liked to think of himself as cautious. However, Friday the 13th always seemed to bring him the worst luck.  It started when he was younger and his older brothers did everything they could to scare him but they always picked it up a notch that day. In high school the only wrestling match he ever lost was Friday the 13th, and the next year he wrecked his car on Friday the 13th leaving him with a busted knee that ended his chance at a scholarship. This year Finnick promised the day would be better and he could be very persuasive when he wanted to be, so Peeta found himself getting into the back seat of his buddies Honda Accord heading out for a night of “just hanging out with some friends.” When the car turned off of the main road onto a winding country road he started to seriously doubt his decision not to stay in and to get caught up on the reading for classes.  

“Where exactly are we going?” Peeta asked. 

Annie gave Finnick a questioning glare, “you didn’t tell him where we’re going?” 

“No, there is no way he would’ve come if I told him,” Finnick answered.

“Well, he is right here and wants to know what’s going on.” Peeta was getting more anxious with each minute and it was showing in his voice. 

Annie took pity on him and turned as much as she could to face him. “We’re going to a friend’s hunting cabin to hang out and watch some scary movies. It’s kinda a tradition for her and when she invited us along we thought it would be fun.” 

“Uh-huh, and who’s house are we going to?” Peeta responded. 

Annie gave his a weary smile, “Katniss’. She said the cabin is in pretty good shape and has water and electric along with a tv. And don’t worry she told us that no one has ever come out of the water to kill people.

Peeta was in full panic mode, it wasn’t that he was afraid of a psychotic killer running around the woods. In fact he would welcome a white masked serial killer right now, it didn’t matter if it was Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees, either would be better than spending the night around Katniss Everdeen.  

Katniss didn’t seem like someone that should strike fear into the hearts of men; she was all of 5 feet tall, 100 pounds with long silky chocolate brown hair she wore in a braid and silver eyes that sparkled, but to Peeta she was the most terrifying creature he had met. The first time he met Katniss was at his fraternity's welcome back party. She’d arrived with Annie, Finnick’s girlfriend and was introduced as Annie’s new roommate. Peeta noticed her immediately and he wasn’t the only one, several of his frat brothers tried to hit on her, but she turned each one down. He was shocked when she actually started talking to him while waiting to get another beer at the keg, that was when the strangest thing happened, Peeta lost all ability to speak like a normal person. Instead of being his normal charming, funny self he turned into a bumbling idiot. After a while Katniss realized she had lost Annie to Finnick’s room and decided to head home, Peeta asked to walk her home and she allowed it. Here was his chance to ask her out, but when they finally arrived at her dorm he looked at her and simply said goodnight. He didn’t miss the confusion in her eyes as she nodded and turned to walk into her building. Peeta, on the other hand, wanted to walk to the nearest wall and bang his head against it. What the hell Mellark, you had her and lost her. He was determined to try again the next time he saw her, but she ignored him every time they were around each other, she even flirted with other guys right in front of him. He spent the next four months watching her from afar wishing he had the nerve to ask her out that night, and now Finnick has him going to her house. 

Peeta snapped out of his memories when he realized Annie was still looking at him. “Does she know I’m coming?” 

“Yea, I told her you were coming. She said she got the Scream series to watch, she hates the Friday the 13th movies.”

Peeta put his head in his hands, “I still can’t believe you are dragging me out to the woods to watch scary movies and hang out with Katniss on the unluckiest day of the year.” 

Finnick replied, “don’t worry just follow the three rules to successfully surviving a horror movie and you’ll be fine.” 

“What rules?” As soon as the words left Peeta’s mouth he knew it was a mistake.

“Rule number one, don’t have sex. Rule number two don’t drink or do drugs and rule number three never under and circumstances say you’ll be right back.” Finnick gave Peeta a shit eating grin as he turned into the drive of a small wood cabin. He parked behind two other cars and turned off the car. 

Annie rolled her eyes and looked at Peeta, “You’ll be fine. Just be yourself.” 

Right, Peeta thought, being myself is what has caused this problem in the first place. He huffed as he got out of the car and followed his friends into the cabin. They were right that the cabin was nice, it was warm and inviting. They were immediately introduced to Gale and Madge, Katniss’ friends from childhood who seemed to be together. Suddenly it hit Peeta, everyone else was coupled up beside him and Katniss— where’s that psycho killer when you need it? 

The room had a large recliner and a couch with a chaise along one side. After they all got beers, rule number two already broken, Peeta sat in the chair, thinking of it as a way to keep him away from Katniss. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be around her, but she still intimidated him in such a way that he lost all control over his mind and mouth which terrified him. Gale and Madge cuddled up on the chaise while Finnick and Annie took the other part of the couch. As the movie started he noticed Katniss standing right by him giving him a shy smile. “Do you mind if I sit with you, the floor is cold and I know two can fit on this chair.”

Peeta’s heart started beating hard, his hands got sweaty and his swallowed thickly before dumbly nodding his head. She just smiled as he shifted over and climbed in sideways to fit. When the guts spilled out of Steve she buried her head into his shoulder, his instinct was to put his arm around her, but he stopped himself. His senses were on overdrive, he could feel her hot breaths through his shirt, smell her coconut shampoo and any noise made in the house seemed amplified. Peeta felt like he was in a horror movie, he had the woman he dreamed about lying against him but once again he was too afraid to make a move. 

Just as the party scene started a loud banging at the front door caused all of them to jump and then release shaky laughs. Gale jumped from his spot and rushed to the door, which they could all see from their spots. “Hey Darrius, what brings you around this late?” 

“Hey Gale, I was driving by and saw the lights on. There’s a storm coming in off the mountain, you guys may want to head back to town or you may be trapped up here for a few days.” 

Gale looked out towards the sky and thanked Darius before turning to the group. “Well, you heard the man we don’t have enough food or alcohol to be stuck so I suggest we clean up and go.” 

It only took a few minutes to picked up the limited snacks and beer bottles that were on the table and they started their goodbyes. Peeta took a deep breath of relief, he had successfully made it through the night without doing something stupid, but the odds were not in his favor after all.

“Peeta, do you mind driving down the mountain with Katniss? I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to be on her own with the storm coming in.” Annie’s request was reasonable, and of course he didn’t want Katniss to get hurt or stuck, but it still made him feel like he was staring right at Ghostface. 

He schooled his features and gave the only answer he could before following Katniss to her older model Jeep. He looked in the backseat before getting in and the motion made Katniss chuckle— great he was starting to act like an idiot again. “Don’t worry, there are no psychotic killers out here, and even if there were I’d protect you.” She nodded her head to the trunk where he saw a bow and arrows. 

They got into the car and she started driving down the mountain, Peeta tried to find a way to start a conversation so they weren’t in silence. “Can you keep a secret? I don’t really like Friday the 13th.” 

She gave his a puzzled look, “Why?”

“Well, I had two older brothers so I saw all the scary movies before I should’ve and they made it their mission to scare the crap out of me every chance they got. One year we watched one of the Friday the 13th movies and that night they woke me up with hockey masks on, I am pretty sure I peed the bed.” 

Katniss laughed, he should’ve been embarrassed but her laugh was the most beautiful sound he’d ever heard and it actually made him smile. For the first time all night he felt at ease, that was until the snow started to fall. Katniss maneuvered the car through the winding roads without fear, he knew she’d done this hundreds of times, but he could feel the car slipping a bit as they got to the main roads. Their college wasn’t much further, he breathed a sigh of relief when she pulled her car into the lot behind her dorm and parked. Peeta realized it would be too dangerous for her to take him all the way to the other side of campus— God knows how much worse the roads could get. 

“Do you want to come in? I’m sure Annie is at Finnick’s and it’s getting pretty rough out here.” 

Peeta sighed he wanted to go with her and break at least some of rule number one with her, but he couldn’t chance starting a relationship with her on Friday the 13th, everything that starts on that day ends in disaster. “Katniss I want to, but I really like you, it’s actually embarrassing how much I like you. In fact that first time we met I acted like such an idiot I wasn’t surprised that you stayed away.” 

“I stayed away because I thought you didn’t like me and that you walked me home so Annie didn’t get mad at Finnick. I wanted you to kiss me or at least ask me out so when you didn’t I figured you weren’t interested. That was until earlier today when Annie told me the truth about your feelings. She even told me how much you hate horror movies, that’s why I got Scream. It’s not nearly as scary as the others.” 

Peeta swallowed again, it was all a setup and everyone was in on it beside him. “I can’t believe this is all happening.” 

“I really like you too Peeta, I only flirted with those other guys so I could try to get your attention. I thought if you saw me as desirable you would be more interested.” 

“Well, I always thought you were desirable, that still doesn’t change that it’s Friday the 13th. I have the worst luck and Finnick knows that. I can’t tempt fate. Maybe we can go out tomorrow?” He didn’t want to answer her this way but it was the only chance he had at having the relationship he wanted with her. He was cursing Finnick in his head for even choosing this day to try something knowing his history. 

Katniss smiled again and motioned to the clock, “actually it’s 2 a.m., you didn’t even get to the cabin until almost midnight, so if you want to be technical this whole time it’s been Saturday the 14th, we did that on purpose.” 

Peeta thought back and she was right, they’d left campus at 11 since Annie had to work that night and it took nearly 45 minutes to get to the cabin. Suddenly there was hope. 

“So Peeta are you coming up or are you going to try to get home without breaking a leg?” She didn’t wait for his answer, she got out of the car and traipsed through the snow to the doors of her dorm. He didn’t think twice before he got out and followed behind. 

Once they got to her room and took off their snowy coats and shoes he looked at her and smiled, “so Katniss now that you’ve got me what are you going to do with me?” 

She grabbed his shirt and pulled until his body was flush with hers, “I was thinking we could break rule number one.” 


End file.
